In the private world if I audited my business and found one of my employees had mis used and technically embezzled money to buy himself gas, vacations, glasses, and who knows what else, there would be an immediate firing. Immediate. And possible legal action including charges for theft. These elected bureaucrats must start facing the same penalties we face in the private world. At the very least the IRS needs to show up at his door and audit the crap out of his personal finances. They do it to us.
Whoa! Jeff, this article will blow everyone's mind! It is a cumulation and affirmation of why you started Clallam County Watchdog. I'm going to sit back and watch the comments. It's an I TOLD YOU SO moment. RIGHT DURING THE ELECTIONS!
Question: Is the Charter Review finished? I lost track of that and felt it was used to grand stand and waste time. But I do have the article by Paul Pickett. I picked out a few of the talking points that become rather relevant now, in light of another financial fiasco.
Paul J. Pickett, Charter Review Commission, District 2
Code of Ethics with civil penalties. Currently, there is a Code of Ethics for elected officials, but the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) removed penalties for violations. This amendment could establish enforceable penalties.
Restrictions on board membership for commissioners. This amendment would restrict County Commissioners from sitting on boards of organizations that receive county funding or influence county policies, addressing potential conflicts of interest.
Financial transparency for contracts with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). This amendment would require financial transparency from any NGO the county contracts with, ensuring that public funds are allocated to organizations with clear and accessible financial records.
Define Auditor, Treasurer, and CFO responsibilities.
Board of County Commissioners spending transparency. The Lower Dungeness Floodplain Restoration project was completed without a budget. This amendment would require detailed financial reporting.
Reforming Board of Commissioner committee appointments. This amendment could change how members are appointed to various county boards, such as the Trails Advisory Board, Animal Solutions Advisory Committee, and Board of Equalization.
Jennifer, I agree... what a waste of time, effort, and county resources. You will see something on the ballot requiring the commissioners to hold town halls (something good to come out of the CRC).
We still have a little work to do this Monday. Two things will be attempted to advance:
1) An enforceable Code of Ethics for our elected officials.
2) A requirement that our County reply to agencies (like the BIA) that are asking about the impact of parcels being converted into trust land.
If those don't proceed, they may become "recommendations" to the commissioners. If they do proceed, we are a step closer to seeing those issues appear on the 2026 Nov ballot.
Everything else (commissioners on NGO boards, treasurer/CFO responsibilities, spending responsibility, etc) is dead. The CRC never developed a strategy, they discounted public input, and I believe Chair Susan Fisch set the trajectory of our county's next five years when she decided, unilaterally, to have Jim Stoffer's committee craft and conduct the survey through a non-county email address.
This year was a mess, and I think it has exposed the County to substantial liability. The CRC was absolutely abused and left many questioning (including me) whether CC should even be a charter county.
Thank you for all of your very hard work and volunteering countless hours to serve Clallam County, Jeff. Many people witnessed the sophomoric behaviors, the absence of leadership, and dereliction of the CRC oath by the majority of CRC Commissioners. At least you brought hard hitting points of view, pertinent questions, and ethical standards to the table everytime. We greatly appreciate your dogged efforts to bring professional decorum to the dysfunctional elitism and presumed entitlement from your peers. Blessings and grace be with you, my friend.
If tomorrow a headline from the PDN is that some members of the CRC are being sued for allegations of violating the OPMA it wouldn't surprise me at all.
This isn’t the first time that our county commissioners sat on a board that has failed to oversee financial accountability and metrics. Let’s not forget that they also mandated a $2 million tax onto property owners for the benefit of Clallam Conservation District despite CCD’s faulty financials and misleading claims.
The sense I have from listening to the BOCCC recently is an over reliance on the WA State Auditor's Office to be the end-all-be-all to root out misuse of public funds after you questioned the accounting lapses related to the CCD $5 issue. It would seem their sin is not an act of comission, rather omission, as in failing to carry out fiduciary responsibilities.
I can only assume that if questioned the BOCCC will defend themselves by asserting that the WA State Auditor's report demonstrates that their reliance on that agency works. If this is their defense then it's still a problem from two prongs, the first being it is still in their responsibility to oveersee. The second is that if anyone is foolish enough to believe that the WA State Auditor's Office has time to constantly audit and review how every tax dollar is spent by every entity that uses public funds, then they have a fundamental misunderstanding of what an auditor function is no less the true capabilities of an entity that has limited resources and time.
In my mind, those with a responsibility to the public to oversee the use of public funds, have failed their fiduciary responsibility.
Citizen's Financial Oversight Committee.... we should be looking at what our elected are doing. The books are supposed to be OPEN.... all we need is to systematically look.
Meanwhile, the board of directors are responsible to the shareholders...they have a fiduciary duty to act in the bests interests of the shareholders (THE PEOPLE). they can be held personally liable for financial misconduct or poor oversight -- meaning we can take legal action against them.
Those sitting board members must take an oath pledging duty of care, obedience and loyalty. How can any ONE PERSON take this oath to MULTIPLE different entities? This would seem to me to be a conflict of interest and failure to protect stakeholder interests. Or in fancy lingo: a breach of fiduciary duty.
None of these people on the board impress me with their integrity or moral fiber.
Thank you Jeff! Two quick points. One, Mr. Burke appears to be a bit of a weasel who just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar and is trying to deflect. And two, if the county commissioners had any balls or sense of fair play, they would immediately call for Mr. Burke’s suspension pending the results of an independent investigation into the matter. Which I am sure they will do, once Hell freezes over….
Sadly if it is up to the county prosecutor Ihave zero faith it will be adressed in a way that protects taxpayers. I think anyone who follows the jail roster would agree.
This could be a defining moment for the elected official that is our county prosecutor. A failure here to act is more than just an affront to everyone, it's a scintilla of belief that there's a conflict of interest and impartiality is not possible.
Jeff, I would be interested to now the timeline of this audit. Like when was it made public if in fact it was. We have discussed the various ‘officials’ involvement in to many organizations previously. There is no way they can be on top of 20 or so organizations. Oversight is non existent in my opinion. However, I can understand the problem.When only 22% of registered voters vote the problems become huge.I am shooting from the hip as usual. The port should also have an intensive audit while they still have some acreage left on the waterfront.
Good morning, JJW. I think the audit came out on Monday. I just found out yesterday. I'm very curious (like you probably are), why was this released only a day before the election? The timing seems suspicious.
Audit reports show frequently. I get them emailed to me directly -- I doubt there is any rhyme or reason, or intent "before the election". They are like clockwork. My last ones (email still unopened) were Oct 6, 13, 16, 21, 23, 27, 30, Nov 3, 6... I think it was just a coincidence. The thing is, with such frequency, I only scan them once every other month or so.
This seems to be so blatant. We need multiple auditors from the outside to take a hardl look at every type of organization that receives funds state or federal. If guilty, people should should do the time. White collar crime seems to get a pass. When you deprive people of funds they worked for, saved, supported their families etc., the results are not good. By that I mean the misuse of tax money. I am going step off my soapbox now.
JJW, The Charter Review tried, the list was long, then it was slimmed down, then stalled (on purpose) then hacked to pieces. It was a painful slow death.
Now I see Suggs will probably win!! Wtf I don't know anyone who voted for her, rigged rigged rigged... can you file something the feds need to come clean up clallam county fast!!!
It's unfortunate that this information did not come out before this week's election's ballots came out. Also unfortunately, this all to often is how the State Auditor's office acts. They are really reluctant to find fault with elected officials, and when they do their actions are often delayed.
Ron...don't jeopardize your slap on the back at the Democrat's water buffalo lodge on Jeff's account... We need the checkering issue to have a foot in that bipartisan tent.
You're speaking truth about the reality and misunderstanding of what that office is capable of. After having watched you in so many CRC meetings I can't imagine that when you were a BOCCC that you would have dismissed your responsibilities as the oversight arm and relied on the WA State Auditor's Office to catch whatever might see the light of day.
It really hurts a small community when funds are misappropriated and questioned with concerns. It's not just the money, it's also the personal friend, family member, or neighbor that is abusing your trust. Thank you, Jeff! Great job!
They couldn't find a copy of his contract and when they did it was unsigned; no performance eval since 2010; no policies or procedures regarding the self-insurance program. Sounds like Burke isn't the only one contributing to fraud at the pool.
Also this audit has concerns that a check was written to Friends of the Shore Aquatic Center, of which Burke is the Exec Director. If the state auditor has issues with this, why are Ozias, etc. getting away with doing the very same thing?
Chris, I'm not quite sure the prosecutor (whoever that is) wants to jeopardize his/her job. Eyes will be on them. It will be Dog Eat Dog (how fitting, arf)
Below is from a PDN article today. Why in the heck would the POOL need to spend $750 k to renovate an office building? The whole pool building was renovated less than 10 years ago and most jobs there are very hands on. This is the age of laptops and remote work. Why would they need an entire office building that used to be adequate for an entire school district?
"The board unanimously agreed to a 10-year lease with Shore Aquatic Center for an OMC property at 216 E. Fourth St., which is the former Port Angeles School District administration building.
Gregson said although the rent was only $100 per month, Shore Aquatic Center is investing proceeds from a $750,000 grant to renovate the building.
Commissioner Penney Sanders suggested that, looking ahead, it might benefit both parties if the hospital sells the property to the center."
Doug and I were JUST talking about Circle of Life for an intro... this solidifies it. Susie has demanded it!!! This Sunday is Bonnie Tyler. Then the Monkeys. Then Susan wants Cher. Then I think it's Downtown. Then come the Christmas hits starting with Silent Night, Ba rum pum pum pum, Mariah Carey, etc. Circle of Life might have to wait until January. Now you understand what keeps me up at night :)
minutes do not contain all content and people who work full time can not attend. Quote is from an article that references the hospital. Hospital allowing it doesn't explain why pool needs a whole office building with renovations
It's telling that Burke used the royal We in the first sentence of his email reply.
This 12th century practice, also known as the majestic plural or pluralis majestatis, evolved from the idea of a king acting in concert with God, representing a divine right to rule.
3 CRABS: It is NOW KingTide time. November 7, at 5:37, 8.5 tide prediction.
HIGH PRESSURE of 1019 mb.
There is NO flooding.
KOMMISSARS, you dodged a, well, fill in the blank, the residents you so desperately want to vacate have a reprieve thanks to the weather, not your fecklessness.
In the private world if I audited my business and found one of my employees had mis used and technically embezzled money to buy himself gas, vacations, glasses, and who knows what else, there would be an immediate firing. Immediate. And possible legal action including charges for theft. These elected bureaucrats must start facing the same penalties we face in the private world. At the very least the IRS needs to show up at his door and audit the crap out of his personal finances. They do it to us.
Whoa! Jeff, this article will blow everyone's mind! It is a cumulation and affirmation of why you started Clallam County Watchdog. I'm going to sit back and watch the comments. It's an I TOLD YOU SO moment. RIGHT DURING THE ELECTIONS!
Question: Is the Charter Review finished? I lost track of that and felt it was used to grand stand and waste time. But I do have the article by Paul Pickett. I picked out a few of the talking points that become rather relevant now, in light of another financial fiasco.
https://www.clallamdemocrats.org/blog/charter-review-commission-needs-your-input
5/3/2025 Clallam County Democrats
Charter Review Commission Needs Your Input!
Paul J. Pickett, Charter Review Commission, District 2
Code of Ethics with civil penalties. Currently, there is a Code of Ethics for elected officials, but the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) removed penalties for violations. This amendment could establish enforceable penalties.
Restrictions on board membership for commissioners. This amendment would restrict County Commissioners from sitting on boards of organizations that receive county funding or influence county policies, addressing potential conflicts of interest.
Financial transparency for contracts with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). This amendment would require financial transparency from any NGO the county contracts with, ensuring that public funds are allocated to organizations with clear and accessible financial records.
Define Auditor, Treasurer, and CFO responsibilities.
Board of County Commissioners spending transparency. The Lower Dungeness Floodplain Restoration project was completed without a budget. This amendment would require detailed financial reporting.
Reforming Board of Commissioner committee appointments. This amendment could change how members are appointed to various county boards, such as the Trails Advisory Board, Animal Solutions Advisory Committee, and Board of Equalization.
Jennifer, I agree... what a waste of time, effort, and county resources. You will see something on the ballot requiring the commissioners to hold town halls (something good to come out of the CRC).
We still have a little work to do this Monday. Two things will be attempted to advance:
1) An enforceable Code of Ethics for our elected officials.
2) A requirement that our County reply to agencies (like the BIA) that are asking about the impact of parcels being converted into trust land.
If those don't proceed, they may become "recommendations" to the commissioners. If they do proceed, we are a step closer to seeing those issues appear on the 2026 Nov ballot.
Everything else (commissioners on NGO boards, treasurer/CFO responsibilities, spending responsibility, etc) is dead. The CRC never developed a strategy, they discounted public input, and I believe Chair Susan Fisch set the trajectory of our county's next five years when she decided, unilaterally, to have Jim Stoffer's committee craft and conduct the survey through a non-county email address.
This year was a mess, and I think it has exposed the County to substantial liability. The CRC was absolutely abused and left many questioning (including me) whether CC should even be a charter county.
Thank you for all of your very hard work and volunteering countless hours to serve Clallam County, Jeff. Many people witnessed the sophomoric behaviors, the absence of leadership, and dereliction of the CRC oath by the majority of CRC Commissioners. At least you brought hard hitting points of view, pertinent questions, and ethical standards to the table everytime. We greatly appreciate your dogged efforts to bring professional decorum to the dysfunctional elitism and presumed entitlement from your peers. Blessings and grace be with you, my friend.
Denise, maybe, just maybe, this exposure will take some of the bravado out of the members, and they will have to:
Eat Humble Pie
idiom
informal
: to admit that one was wrong or accept that one has been defeated
I think that they're to stuck on themselves and believe they are above reproach! I hope we get to watch their ship sink..
Federal audit sez...
Mac, their ship doesn't have a band, to bad, so sad : (
AMEN to that too!
If tomorrow a headline from the PDN is that some members of the CRC are being sued for allegations of violating the OPMA it wouldn't surprise me at all.
They won't report it.
Jim Stoffer is well versed in violating OPMA - ask him about porch visits
He won't answer. What are porch visits?
AMEN, Jeff!!!!!
Thanks for bringing this accountability, Jeff!
This isn’t the first time that our county commissioners sat on a board that has failed to oversee financial accountability and metrics. Let’s not forget that they also mandated a $2 million tax onto property owners for the benefit of Clallam Conservation District despite CCD’s faulty financials and misleading claims.
The sense I have from listening to the BOCCC recently is an over reliance on the WA State Auditor's Office to be the end-all-be-all to root out misuse of public funds after you questioned the accounting lapses related to the CCD $5 issue. It would seem their sin is not an act of comission, rather omission, as in failing to carry out fiduciary responsibilities.
I can only assume that if questioned the BOCCC will defend themselves by asserting that the WA State Auditor's report demonstrates that their reliance on that agency works. If this is their defense then it's still a problem from two prongs, the first being it is still in their responsibility to oveersee. The second is that if anyone is foolish enough to believe that the WA State Auditor's Office has time to constantly audit and review how every tax dollar is spent by every entity that uses public funds, then they have a fundamental misunderstanding of what an auditor function is no less the true capabilities of an entity that has limited resources and time.
In my mind, those with a responsibility to the public to oversee the use of public funds, have failed their fiduciary responsibility.
Citizen's Financial Oversight Committee.... we should be looking at what our elected are doing. The books are supposed to be OPEN.... all we need is to systematically look.
Meanwhile, the board of directors are responsible to the shareholders...they have a fiduciary duty to act in the bests interests of the shareholders (THE PEOPLE). they can be held personally liable for financial misconduct or poor oversight -- meaning we can take legal action against them.
Those sitting board members must take an oath pledging duty of care, obedience and loyalty. How can any ONE PERSON take this oath to MULTIPLE different entities? This would seem to me to be a conflict of interest and failure to protect stakeholder interests. Or in fancy lingo: a breach of fiduciary duty.
None of these people on the board impress me with their integrity or moral fiber.
You nailed it. I had that same question lurking in my head regarding the COI of being on many different boards.
I agree that we need a CFOC.
Have you heard about this guy?
https://www.thepublicrecordsofficer.com/ep-12-suing-watech-and-gov-ags-model-rules-harrells-failures/
Thank you Jeff! Two quick points. One, Mr. Burke appears to be a bit of a weasel who just got caught with his hand in the cookie jar and is trying to deflect. And two, if the county commissioners had any balls or sense of fair play, they would immediately call for Mr. Burke’s suspension pending the results of an independent investigation into the matter. Which I am sure they will do, once Hell freezes over….
Sadly if it is up to the county prosecutor Ihave zero faith it will be adressed in a way that protects taxpayers. I think anyone who follows the jail roster would agree.
This could be a defining moment for the elected official that is our county prosecutor. A failure here to act is more than just an affront to everyone, it's a scintilla of belief that there's a conflict of interest and impartiality is not possible.
Jeff, I would be interested to now the timeline of this audit. Like when was it made public if in fact it was. We have discussed the various ‘officials’ involvement in to many organizations previously. There is no way they can be on top of 20 or so organizations. Oversight is non existent in my opinion. However, I can understand the problem.When only 22% of registered voters vote the problems become huge.I am shooting from the hip as usual. The port should also have an intensive audit while they still have some acreage left on the waterfront.
Good morning, JJW. I think the audit came out on Monday. I just found out yesterday. I'm very curious (like you probably are), why was this released only a day before the election? The timing seems suspicious.
Audit reports show frequently. I get them emailed to me directly -- I doubt there is any rhyme or reason, or intent "before the election". They are like clockwork. My last ones (email still unopened) were Oct 6, 13, 16, 21, 23, 27, 30, Nov 3, 6... I think it was just a coincidence. The thing is, with such frequency, I only scan them once every other month or so.
This seems to be so blatant. We need multiple auditors from the outside to take a hardl look at every type of organization that receives funds state or federal. If guilty, people should should do the time. White collar crime seems to get a pass. When you deprive people of funds they worked for, saved, supported their families etc., the results are not good. By that I mean the misuse of tax money. I am going step off my soapbox now.
It's ok to be angry, JJW! We are not just disappointed in our leaders, we are fed up with their attitudes and self-indulgent behaviors.
JJW, The Charter Review tried, the list was long, then it was slimmed down, then stalled (on purpose) then hacked to pieces. It was a painful slow death.
more proof this county n commissioners are as corrupt as they come. thanks Jeff for doing what you do!!
Now I see Suggs will probably win!! Wtf I don't know anyone who voted for her, rigged rigged rigged... can you file something the feds need to come clean up clallam county fast!!!
They are not thru with getting even for their bad relationship
I can answer the ballot question of the numbers getting larger.
I was in the ballot room Wednesday morning and a huge amount came in from the West end Forks area.
Mail-ins were also part of the load.
I was just a citizen observer…
Thank you for doing very important work!
It's unfortunate that this information did not come out before this week's election's ballots came out. Also unfortunately, this all to often is how the State Auditor's office acts. They are really reluctant to find fault with elected officials, and when they do their actions are often delayed.
Maybe more than unfortunate.
Ron...don't jeopardize your slap on the back at the Democrat's water buffalo lodge on Jeff's account... We need the checkering issue to have a foot in that bipartisan tent.
You're speaking truth about the reality and misunderstanding of what that office is capable of. After having watched you in so many CRC meetings I can't imagine that when you were a BOCCC that you would have dismissed your responsibilities as the oversight arm and relied on the WA State Auditor's Office to catch whatever might see the light of day.
It really hurts a small community when funds are misappropriated and questioned with concerns. It's not just the money, it's also the personal friend, family member, or neighbor that is abusing your trust. Thank you, Jeff! Great job!
They couldn't find a copy of his contract and when they did it was unsigned; no performance eval since 2010; no policies or procedures regarding the self-insurance program. Sounds like Burke isn't the only one contributing to fraud at the pool.
Also this audit has concerns that a check was written to Friends of the Shore Aquatic Center, of which Burke is the Exec Director. If the state auditor has issues with this, why are Ozias, etc. getting away with doing the very same thing?
Poor Gilligan he never should have promised dis dat and de udder ting.
It just shows the corruption in all entities in the county.
Wonder if the prosecutors office will really take this serious, don’t forget it’s the good boy’s network.
Maybe Washington states auditor needs to dig into other county, port, and cities finances, bet they’d find a lot more.!
I should have read this before I got on my soap box.
They don't have time or resources to do this. The responsibility to dig is up to the citizens.
Chris, I'm not quite sure the prosecutor (whoever that is) wants to jeopardize his/her job. Eyes will be on them. It will be Dog Eat Dog (how fitting, arf)
Below is from a PDN article today. Why in the heck would the POOL need to spend $750 k to renovate an office building? The whole pool building was renovated less than 10 years ago and most jobs there are very hands on. This is the age of laptops and remote work. Why would they need an entire office building that used to be adequate for an entire school district?
"The board unanimously agreed to a 10-year lease with Shore Aquatic Center for an OMC property at 216 E. Fourth St., which is the former Port Angeles School District administration building.
Gregson said although the rent was only $100 per month, Shore Aquatic Center is investing proceeds from a $750,000 grant to renovate the building.
Commissioner Penney Sanders suggested that, looking ahead, it might benefit both parties if the hospital sells the property to the center."
Looking back I would be interested to know why the hospital purchased the property in the first place. Someone please enlighten me.
exactly! I hear hints of a coming Tozzer tune, the Lion King song but instead of "Circle of Life" it's "Circle of Fraud"
Doug and I were JUST talking about Circle of Life for an intro... this solidifies it. Susie has demanded it!!! This Sunday is Bonnie Tyler. Then the Monkeys. Then Susan wants Cher. Then I think it's Downtown. Then come the Christmas hits starting with Silent Night, Ba rum pum pum pum, Mariah Carey, etc. Circle of Life might have to wait until January. Now you understand what keeps me up at night :)
Can we get gilligans island
Def Leopard wants an appointment
Please no, no little drummer boy 😬
MK, you are going to LOVE it. This will get me the Grammy, I'm sure of it.
They openly talked about this at the OMC board meeting this week, which is a public meeting that anyone can attend.
minutes do not contain all content and people who work full time can not attend. Quote is from an article that references the hospital. Hospital allowing it doesn't explain why pool needs a whole office building with renovations
It's telling that Burke used the royal We in the first sentence of his email reply.
This 12th century practice, also known as the majestic plural or pluralis majestatis, evolved from the idea of a king acting in concert with God, representing a divine right to rule.
Great point, Rita. 'We" is deflective.
Can't wait for the rest of the story! Thanks Jeff
3 CRABS: It is NOW KingTide time. November 7, at 5:37, 8.5 tide prediction.
HIGH PRESSURE of 1019 mb.
There is NO flooding.
KOMMISSARS, you dodged a, well, fill in the blank, the residents you so desperately want to vacate have a reprieve thanks to the weather, not your fecklessness.
VOTE THESE WASTEMOIDS OUT!